Inline arinc data authenticity inspection module, method and computer program product

• US 9,699,200 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Daniel, Shelton, Jason W., Mitchell, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Michael S
• Application Number:
  US14/706,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection

Abstract

An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module, method and computer program product are provided. In the context of a method, ARINC data that is transmitted via an ARINC bus is received into a buffer partition. The method also includes inspecting the ARINC data from the buffer partition within an inspection partition. The method further includes determining, as a result of having inspected the ARINC data within the inspection partition, whether the ARINC data is authentic. In an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, the method logs receipt of the ARINC data that is determined to not be authentic. However, in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to be authentic, the method permits data corresponding to the ARINC data to be transmitted to an intended destination.

Claims

1. An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module comprising processing circuitry configured to inspect ARINC data, the processing circuitry configured to:

receive ARINC data transmitted via an ARINC bus into a buffer partition;

inspect the ARINC data from the buffer partition within an inspection partition by maintaining a rule listing associated with a respective ARINC data label and inspecting the ARINC data for compliance with the rule listing to determine that the ARINC data is authentic;

determine, as a result of having inspected the ARINC data within the inspection partition, whether the ARINC data is authentic;

in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, log receipt of the ARINC data that is determined to not be authentic; and

in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to be authentic, permit data corresponding to the ARINC data to be transmitted to an intended destination.

2. An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the ARINC data by receiving the ARINC data from a source, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to log receipt of the ARINC data by logging the source of the ARINC data that is determined to not be authentic.

3. An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to, in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, prevent transmission of the ARINC data to the intended destination.

4. An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to permit the data to be transmitted by providing the ARINC data to a forwarding partition that is configured to transmit the data corresponding to the ARINC data to the intended destination.

5. An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to, in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, flag the ARINC data.

6. An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive, following inspection of at least some ARINC data, a modification of the rule listing associated with a respective ARINC data label such that subsequent inspection of the ARINC data determines compliance with the modification of the rule listing to determine that the ARINC data is authentic.

7. An inline ARINC data authenticity inspection module according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to convert the ARINC data to data having another protocol prior to permitting the data having the other protocol and corresponding to the ARINC data to be transmitted to the intended destination.

8. A method of conducting an inline inspection of ARINC data, the method comprising:

receiving ARINC data transmitted via an ARINC bus into a buffer partition;

inspecting the ARINC data from the buffer partition within an inspection partition by maintaining a rule listing associated with a respective ARINC data label and inspecting the ARINC data for compliance with the rule listing to determine that the ARINC data is authentic;

determining, as a result of having inspected the ARINC data within the inspection partition, whether the ARINC data is authentic;

in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, logging receipt of the ARINC data that is determined to not be authentic; and

in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to be authentic, permitting data corresponding to the ARINC data to be transmitted to an intended destination.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein receiving the ARINC data comprises receiving the ARINC data from a source, and wherein logging receipt of the ARINC data comprises logging the source of the ARINC data that is determined to not be authentic.

10. A method according to claim 8 further comprising, in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, preventing transmission of the ARINC data to the intended destination.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein permitting the data to be transmitted comprises providing the ARINC data to a forwarding partition that is configured to transmit the data corresponding to the ARINC data to the intended destination.

12. A method according to claim 8 further comprising, in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, flagging the ARINC data.

13. A method according to claim 8 further comprising receiving, following inspection of at least some ARINC data, a modification of the rule listing associated with a respective ARINC data label such that subsequent inspection of the ARINC data determines compliance with the modification of the rule listing to determine that the ARINC data is authentic.

14. A method according to claim 8 further comprising converting the ARINC data to data having another protocol prior to permitting the data having the other protocol and corresponding to the ARINC data to be transmitted to the intended destination.

15. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium having program code portions stored thereon, wherein the program code portions are configured, upon execution, to:

receive ARINC data transmitted via an ARINC bus into a buffer partition;

inspect the ARINC data from the buffer partition within an inspection partition by maintaining a rule listing associated with a respective ARINC data label and inspecting the ARINC data for compliance with the rule listing to determine that the ARINC data is authentic;

determine, as a result of having inspected the ARINC data within the inspection partition, whether the ARINC data is authentic;

in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to not be authentic, log receipt of the ARINC data that is determined to not be authentic; and

in an instance in which the ARINC data is determined to be authentic, permit data corresponding to the ARINC data to be transmitted to an intended destination.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the program code portions configured to receive the ARINC data comprise program code portions configured to receive the ARINC data from a source, and wherein the program code portions configured to log receipt of the ARINC data comprise program code portions configured to log the source of the ARINC data that is determined to not be authentic.

17. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the program code portions are further configured to receive, following inspection of at least some ARINC data, a modification of the rule listing associated with a respective ARINC data label such that subsequent inspection of the ARINC data determines compliance with the modification of the rule listing to determine that the ARINC data is authentic.